Fundamentals

Core Habits: These habits are a cornerstone of our success.

Be responsive. If you receive an inquiry and do not have the answer immediately available, let that person know that you have received their inquiry and will get back to them within a certain amount of time. Make query resolution swift and thorough.

Be “World-class”. Regard everything you touch as a statement bearing the signature of yourself and the company. Take pride in the quality of what you produce, for excellence matters as a deeply personal value in and of itself, beyond the probable business result of such excellence.

Treat everyone with the same level of respect. Whether you are dealing with clients, employees, consultants, or vendors, everyone deserves the same amount of respect and attention. Treat the janitor with the same level of respect as the CEO.

Plan comprehensively. People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. Take the extra time to plan and get things right the first time. Don’t take short-cuts. The goal is to get things “right,” not simply to get things “done.”

Constantly monitor the 3 P’s. The key to our success lies in having the right people, product, and process. If it becomes apparent that one of our P’s is out of line, speak up. It is important the we be proactive and address immediately. Small tweaks are fine, large shifts are not.

Transparency provides clarity. It is important that all planning, status updates and needs are 100% transparent. The lack of transparency can lead to poor decisions and execution, misunderstanding and distrust, and reduce the opportunity for collaboration from your peers.

Check the ego at the door. Our own egos and personal agendas must never take precedence over doing what’s best for the team. Being concerned with who gets credit, is counterproductive. Making the best decision for the good of the enterprise must always be paramount.

Use the “PIG” system. Proactively Identify Gaps. While we are often brought in to assist clients in a particular area or for a particular reason, Proactively Identifying Gaps allows us to add another layer of value and demonstrate that we have their success as a top priority.

Maintain a solution orientation. Treat mistakes as lessons. Focus on the following: What are our best options to solve the problem? What have we learned that can help keep us from repeating the mistake? How will we integrate that learning into new behaviors or practices?

Work from the assumption that people are good, fair, and honest. Kindness begets more kindness. Trust begets more trust. We believe that most people genuinely want to do the right thing. Act out of this belief.

Focus on Service: These habits help create extraordinary service experiences.

Make decisions that reflect a reverence for long-term relationships. Our primary goal is the long-term success of the enterprise. We must view all of our decisions and actions from this light.

Set and ask for expectations. We judge situations not by what happens, but by how they compare to what we expected to happen. Learn to create mutually understood expectations in every situation.

Communicate your vision so that it is understood. Know your audience. Write and speak in a way that they can understand. Use the appropriate explanations for the person you are speaking to.

Implement relentlessly. Follow-up everything. Internal and external clients rely on us and we rely on others. Record a follow-up date for every action and take responsibility for its thorough completion.

Practice the “Human Touch.” Treat people as individuals and show them you care. Create a feeling of warmth and friendliness. Every time you have a business interaction, you are on stage. Make dealing with you an extraordinary and memorable experience.

The Collaborative Way: These practices enable us to work powerfully together as a team.

Team plan and look for synergies. Seek input and listen generously. Learn to listen for the contribution in each other’s speaking versus listening from our assessment, opinions, and judgments. Look for opportunities to kill two birds with one stone.

Speak straight. Speak honestly in a way that forwards what we are up to. Make clear and direct requests. Be willing to surface ideas or take positions that may result in conflict when it’s necessary to reach our objectives.

Honor commitments. Do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it. If a commitment cannot be fulfilled, notify others early and agree upon a new commitment to be honored.

Be there for each other. Support each other’s success. Operate from the point of view that we’re all in this together and that any one of us cannot win at the expense of someone else or the enterprise. Look for each other’s greatness and provide rigorous support when needed.

Be passionate about acknowledgement and appreciation. Positive feedback is a tremendous energy source. By regularly giving, receiving, and asking for meaningful appreciation and acknowledgement, we enhance passions that in turn, drive performance.

Personal Effectiveness: These behaviors help us achieve greater personal, and by extension, organizational success.

Be organized. Use an effective task management system to keep track of outstanding issues and responsibilities. Maintain an orderly filing system. Have a bias for structure and rebar. Look to create systems and processes that support our ability to perform with consistency.

Double-check all work. Proofread all letters, e-mails, spreadsheets, etc. for accuracy and correctness. Accuracy is a reflection of your ability to be “world-class”. Take responsibility. Don’t be a “victim.” Ask for what you need and take full responsibility for your success.

Be quick to ask and slow to judge. Gather the facts before making judgments. Be curious about additional information that may yield a more complete picture. Ask yourself, “What information is missing, that if I knew this, the best course of action would become evident?"

Look ahead and anticipate. Acquire facts and data not only to make decisions in the present, but also so that you can be better prepared to anticipate future needs. Address them today. Avoid the mistakes that come with last-minute actions.

Have fun and stay positive. The world has much larger problems than our own. Keep perspective and be resilient. Build relationships in a manner that is enjoyable and adds value to your life and others. Enjoy the journey without waiting for the destination.

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